This ranking is based on an algorithm that combines various factors, including the votes of our users and search trends on the internet.

List of River Phoenix Movies: Ranked Best To Worst

1. Running on Empty (1988)
34
5
Running on Empty
PG-13
34
5
Role:
Danny Pope
Starring:
Judd Hirsch, Christine Lahti, Martha Plimpton, Jonas Abry
Directed By:
Sidney Lumet
2. My Own Private Idaho (1991)
36
6
My Own Private Idaho
R
36
6

Loosely based on Shakespeare’s play Henry IV, this film tells the story of two best friends who work as street hustlers, as they embark on a journey of self discovery. 

Role:
Mike Waters
Starring:
Keanu Reeves, Udo Kier, Jim Caviezel, Rodney Harvey, James Russo, William Richert
Directed By:
Gus Van Sant
3. Stand by Me (1986)
69
12
Stand by Me
R
69
12

Stand by Me is a coming-of-age movie centering on the lives of four friends, Gordon ‘Gordie’ Lachance, Christopher ‘Chris’ Chambers, Theodore ‘Teddy’ Duchamp, and Vernon ‘Vern’ Tessio. On their quest to find a dead body, the four boys battle personal demons and a gang led by John ‘Ace’ Merill, only to return home permanently changed by their experience. 

Role:
Chris Chambers
Directed By:
4. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
77
15
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
E
77
15

After his father goes missing while searching for the Holy Grail, Indiana Jones embarks on a journey to find his father and teams up with Austrian archaeologist Elsa Schneider, who has questionable loyalty. Once he rescues his father from the clutches of the Nazis, they must retrieve the Grail before the Nazis get to it.

Starring:
Sean Connery, Harrison Ford, John Rhys-Davies, Alexei Sayle, Denholm Elliott, Alison Doody
Directed By:
5. Dogfight (1991)
19
5
Dogfight
R
19
5

Dogfight is a romantic comedy drama film which revolves around a group of teenagers, who decide to play a game before being sent off to fight in Vietnam. They all have to look for the ugliest woman they can find for a party, and the one whose date turns out to be the ugliest, wins a prize.     

Role:
Eddie Birdlace
Starring:
Brendan Fraser, Richard Panebianco, Lili Taylor, Anthony Clark
Directed By:
Nancy Savoca
6. Sneakers (1992)
16
6
Sneakers
PG-13
16
6

Martin Bishop, who runs a company that tests security systems, is blackmailed by government agents into getting a black box from its inventor. Bishop’s ex-girlfriend and his team of experts, who retrieve the device, discover that it can decode any encryption code. As Bishop realizes that those men were criminals and not government officers, they incriminate him in the murder of the inventor.

Directed By:
Phil Alden Robinson
7. The Thing Called Love (1993)
15
5
The Thing Called Love
PG-13
15
5
Role:
James Wright
Starring:
Sandra Bullock, Dermot Mulroney, Samantha Mathis, K.T. Oslin
Directed By:
Peter Bogdanovich
8. A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon (1988)
12
4
A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon
R
12
4
Role:
Jimmy Reardon
Starring:
Matthew Perry, Johnny Galecki, Ione Skye, Ann Magnuson, Meredith Salenger
Directed By:
William Richert
9. I Love You to Death (1990)
14
5
I Love You to Death
R
14
5

Joe, a pizza parlor owner, is married to Rosalie. Their life seems pretty normal until one day Rosalie discovers that Joe is cheating on her for a very long time, with multiple women. Rosalie hires two hitmen, but they seem to be incompetent.

Role:
Devo
Starring:
Kevin Kline, Miriam Margolyes, Keanu Reeves, Tracey Ullman, William Hurt, Keanu Reeves
Directed By:
Lawrence Kasdan
10. The Mosquito Coast (1986)
9
4
The Mosquito Coast
PG
9
4

An idealist inventor moves his family to a remote island in the Caribbean, in order to protect them from the consumerism which he believes to be destroying America. He also tries to use his genius skills to make gadgets for the natives and tries to enhance their primitive lifestyle.

Role:
Charlie
Starring:
Helen Mirren, Jason Alexander, Harrison Ford, Jadrien Steele, Hilary Gordon
Directed By:
Peter Weir
11. Explorers (1985)
13
9
Explorers
PG
13
9

Explorers is a science fiction film which tells the story of Ben, a young boy who likes watching science fiction films and playing video games and also reading comic books. His life takes an interesting turn when his friend builds a spacecraft which takes them to outer space.  

Role:
Wolfgang Müller
Starring:
Ethan Hawke, James Cromwell, Bradley Gregg, Jason Presson, Georg Olden
Directed By:
Joe Dante
12. Little Nikita (1988)
5
3
Little Nikita
PG
5
3

Jeffrey Nicolas Grant is a high school student who has applied for entry to the Air Force Academy. FBI agent Roy conducts a routine check, and he finds evidence that Grant and his family might be sleeper agents for the Soviet Union. He moves into a house across the street, and decides to keep an eye on them.  

Role:
Jeff Grant
Starring:
Sidney Poitier, Richard Bradford, Richard Jenkins, Liver Phoenix, Caroline Kava
Directed By:
Richard Benjamin
13. Surviving (1985)
8
3
Surviving
8
3
Starring:
Paul Sorvino, Len Cariou, Molly Ringwald, Ellen Burstyn, Marsha Mason, Zach Galligan
Directed By:
Waris Hussein
14. Dark Blood (2012)
5
3
Dark Blood
5
3
Role:
Boy
Starring:
Jonathan Pryce, Karen Black, Judy Davis, T. Dan Hopkins
Directed By:
George Sluizer
15. Circle of Violence: A Family Drama (1986)
5
3
Circle of Violence: A Family Drama
5
3
Role:
Chris Benfield
Starring:
Geraldine Fitzgerald, Tuesday Weld, Peter Bonerz, Philip Sterling
Directed By:
David Greene
16. Silent Tongue (1993)
4
3
Silent Tongue
PG-13
4
3
Role:
Talbot Roe
Starring:
Richard Harris, Dermot Mulroney, Alan Bates, Sheila Tousey
Directed By:

TV Shows

It's Your Move
10
2
It's Your Move
10
2
Starring:
Jason Bateman, Tricia Cast, Ernie Sabella, Caren Kaye, David Garrison
Directed By:
John Pasquin, Tony Singletary, Jim Drake, Arlando Smith
Ben E. King: Stand by Me (1986)
9
2
Ben E. King: Stand by Me
9
2
Role:
River Phoenix
Starring:
Wil Wheaton, Ben E. King
Robert Kennedy and His Times
7
2
Robert Kennedy and His Times
7
2
Starring:
Shannen Doherty, Veronica Cartwright, Joe Pantoliano, Jeffrey Tambor, Jason Bateman, Mimi Kennedy, Charles Bateman
Directed By:
Marvin J. Chomsky
Family Ties
36
13
Family Ties
TV-G
36
13
Starring:
Christina Applegate, Christina Pickles, Meredith Baxter, Courteney Cox, Tracy Pollan, Daniel Baldwin, Crispin Glover
Directed By:
Sam Weisman, Will Mackenzie, Andrew McCullough, Matthew Diamond, John Pasquin
ABC Afterschool Specials
8
3
ABC Afterschool Specials
8
3
Starring:
Barbara Feldon, Rhea Perlman, Kirk Cameron, Matthew Modine, Scott Baio, Tom Skerritt, Jane Kaczmarek
Red Hot Chili Peppers: Breaking the Girl (1992)
6
3
Red Hot Chili Peppers: Breaking the Girl
6
3
Starring:
Anthony Kiedis, Chad Smith, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Arik Marshall
Directed By:
Stephane Sednaoui
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
6
3
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
6
3
Starring:
Joaquin Phoenix, Eric Stoltz, Levon Helm, Alan Autry, Richard Dean Anderson, Peter Horton, Roger Wilson
Directed By:
Vincent McEveety, Bernard L. Kowalski, Harvey S. Laidman, Barry Crane, James Sheldon
Hotel
7
5
Hotel
7
5
Starring:
Lynn Redgrave, Robert Reed, Louis Jourdan, Melissa Sue Anderson, George Lazenby, Eva Gabor, Eddie Albert
Directed By: